Field of the Disclosure
Embodiments of the disclosure generally relate to apparatus and methods for the evaluation of flow characteristics and behaviors of fluids, such as crude oil, seawater, supercritical CO2/gas CO2, and chemical solutions, in rock samples obtained from reservoirs (for example, sandstone or carbonate reservoirs).
Description of the Related Art
During rock coring in development and exploration of a hydrocarbon reservoir to produce hydrocarbons such as oil and gas, rock core samples of subsurface material are collected. The process of obtaining these samples, referred to as “cores,” “core samples,” or “core plugs,” produces a corebore hole that is formed into and defined by and traverses the subsurface (that is, the rock or other material beneath the surface). A core plug is the extracted subsurface material (such as rock or stone) obtained from the subsurface through the newly formed corebore. In some instances, core plugs can be taken from and compose a portion of a reservoir or formation.
Following extraction, core plugs may transported to a laboratory or other location, and analyzed to evaluate characteristics of the hydrocarbon reservoir or subsurface. For example, core analysis may include an analysis of rock properties of the core plug, permeability of the core plug, and flooding performance. A typical core analysis system includes a single stationary core holder that holds one core plug for performing tests on the core plug. Such a system may only provide for one orientation of the single stationary core holder and for limited flooding tests with a single fluid. Additionally, such systems may be unable to accurately reproduce and maintain a range of conditions, including reservoir conditions, for core analysis.